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10 Ways That The Weather Can Effect Your Health

Pollen-Asthma, Hayfever, Eczema, Hives—they can all be effected by seasonal changes. Typically, trees pollinate in the spring, grasses in the summer and weeds in the Autumn. If you have the allergic conditions listed, and you are sensitive to those particular pollens, you will find that you get worse during your particular pollen season.

Molds-Mold
exposures can also vary with the weather. There are several outdoor
molds that grow on vegetation, rotting tree stumps, etc. and these molds
also have a season in which they release their spores. This spore
season is typically in the Autumn.

Rain-often
rain will remove pollen from the air and those that are pollen allergic
will find that they feel better after a nice rain shower.

Thunderstorms-
often a thunderstorm will make allergies worse. This is because the
high winds will agitate existing allergens and increase the amounts of
these offending agents in the air.

Barometric Pressure-changes in barometric pressure can make those with sinus problems have increased symptoms. Of course, we’ve all heard the stories of those folks who can predict the coming of rain by worsening of their arthritis as the barometric pressure drops.

Sun-When we’re out in the sun, there is certainly a greater risk of thermal or sun burns. This is determined by the intensity of the ultraviolet rays and the duration of the time spent in the sun as well as the amount of protective melanin in the skin. Of course, sun exposure also increases the risk of certain skin cancers as well. The one benefit of sunlight is the production of Vitamin D. Of course, it takes very little sunlight to produce this effect—usually incidental exposure from day to day activities is sufficient. Decreased availability of sunlight can also increase the risk of depression.

Heat-Increased exposure to heat can increase the risk of dehydration as well as heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Cold-Frostbite
and exposure are the most dramatic examples of the effect of cold
weather on health. However, one must also consider that cold weather
often drives people indoors where they have increased exposure to
infections and indoor allergens.

Humidity-Asthma and other respiratory illnesses are reported to be adversely effected by humidity.

Pollution-Inversion
and other changes in the local weather environment can make the effects
of pollution worse, affecting those with respiratory illnesses.

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